A pub chain has been fined more than £1.5m over the death of a Durham University student who was crushed while queuing outside a nightclub.

Olivia Burt, 20, suffered severe head injuries when a heavy decorative screen fell on her as she waited to get into the city’s Missoula bar in February 2018.

After a three-week trial, Stonegate, the UK’s biggest pub chain, was found guilty of a health and safety breach over the fact that the screen also fell over 30 minutes before Ms Burt was hit.

Jurors at Teesside Crown Court heard it was merely lifted back into place and the chance to avoid tragedy was missed.

Stonegate was cleared of three other charges following a ruling by the judge on Thursday.

On Friday, the pub chain was fined £1.56m and ordered to pay £225,774 in costs.

After the verdict, Ms Burt’s parents criticised Stonegate for “disregarding the safety” of customers by using the screens.

Orphaned fox cub found with ‘heartbreaking’ message on Greggs bag

Metal detectorists plotted to sell coins of ‘immense historical significance’ worth over £750,000

Four taken to hospital after double-decker bus crashes and overturns in field in County Durham

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

Jurors heard that the venue was full of student sports teams and a crowd had gathered outside at the time of the incident.

A surge of people caused Ms Burt, who was a first year life studies student from the New Forest, Hampshire, to be pushed through one of the screen’s panels, which a judge said were designed for decoration, not crowd control.

Jurors were told that Ms Burt’s head hit the pavement and “the metal bar of the screen with the weight of other customers landed on her head”.

Judge Howard Crowson said he did not accept the defence’s argument that the screens themselves were not dangerous.

Read more:
Student who died in ‘crush’ outside club named
Girl, 8, dies after car crashes into primary school

He also said it was “obviously a risk” that the screen would fall again, after it fell 30 minutes earlier and was lifted back into place.

“In this case, in my view, the breach led to the death of Olivia,” he said.

Speaking after Thursday’s ruling, the parents of Ms Burt, Paula and Nigel, said: “Stonegate showed a complete dereliction of their duties and disregard for the safety of those attending, including Olivia.”

They added: “Olivia was at the start of her adult life in her first year at university and had so much to look forward to; this was taken away from her in the cruelest possible way.

“Our lives will never be the same again – we are heartbroken.”

Related posts:

‘A true hero’: Lorry driver praised for parking under motorway bridge to stop man jumping off it Neo-Nazi student who carved swastika into girlfriend’s buttocks guilty of terror offences UK records 133 more COVID deaths and another 34,950 cases Stars ready to join Prince William for ceremony recognising best ideas for tackling climate change ‘Have you never wanted to moonie a speed camera?’ Police fail to see funny side as they arrest terminally ill man Met Police investigating death threats against Starmer following PM’s Savile ‘slur’ PM goes nuclear in bid to build case for energy independence plan Rebekah Vardy v Coleen Rooney: The ‘Wagatha Christie’ case explained Scammers pretend to be striking paramedics to trick people into giving donations Police release man arrested over New IRA claim on detective’s shooting Braverman ‘encouraged’ by talks with human rights court in push to have migrants sent to Rwanda ‘Butchered’ by ‘trophy hunters’: Hunt for missing head of rare shark which washed up on UK beach